Reform Judaism
Reform
JudaismJudaism (also known as Liberal
JudaismJudaism or Progressive Judaism)
is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of
the faith, the superiority of its ethical aspects to the ceremonial
ones, and a belief in a continuous revelation not centered on the
theophany at Mount Sinai. A liberal strand of Judaism, it is
characterized by a lesser stress on ritual and personal observance,
regarding Jewish Law as non-binding and the individual Jew as
autonomous, and openness to external influences and progressive
values
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Piyyut
A piyyut or piyut (plural piyyutim or piyutim, Hebrew:
פִּיּוּטִים / פיוטים, פִּיּוּט / פיוט‬
pronounced [piˈjut, pijuˈtim]; from Greek ποιητής
poiētḗs "poet") is a Jewish liturgical poem, usually designated to
be sung, chanted, or recited during religious services. Piyyutim have
been written since Temple times. Most piyyutim are in Hebrew or
Aramaic, and most follow some poetic scheme, such as an acrostic
following the order of the
Hebrew alphabetHebrew alphabet or spelling out the name of
the author.
Many piyyutim are familiar to regular attendees of synagogue services.
For example, the best-known piyyut may be
Adon OlamAdon Olam ("Master of the
World"), sometimes (but almost certainly wrongly) attributed to
Solomon ibn GabirolSolomon ibn Gabirol in 11th century Spain
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Diaspora
A diaspora is a scattered population whose origin lies in a separate
geographic locale. [1][2] In particular,
DiasporaDiaspora has come to refer to
involuntary mass dispersions of a population from its indigenous
territories, most notably the expulsion of Jews from
JudeaJudea and the
fleeing of
GreeksGreeks after the fall of Constantinople
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Land Of Israel
The Land of
IsraelIsrael (Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל‬,
Modern Eretz Yisrael, Tiberian ʼÉreṣ Yiśrāʼēl) is
the traditional
Jewish name for an area of indefinite geographical
extension in the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and
historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised
Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also
IsraelIsrael (other)).
The definitions of the limits of this territory vary between passages
in the Hebrew Bible, with specific mentions in Genesis 15, Exodus 23,
Numbers 34 and
EzekielEzekiel 47
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AmoraimAmoraimAmoraim (Aramaic: plural אמוראים‬ ʔamoraˈʔim, singular
Amora אמורא‬ ʔamoˈʁa; "those who say" or "those who speak
over the people", or "spokesmen")[1] refers to the Jewish scholars of
the period from about 200 to 500 CE, who "said" or "told over" the
teachings of the Oral Torah. They were concentrated in
BabyloniaBabylonia and
the Land of Israel. Their legal discussions and debates were
eventually codified in the Gemara. The
AmoraimAmoraim followed the
Tannaim in
the sequence of ancient Jewish scholars. The
Tannaim were direct
transmitters of uncodified oral tradition; the
AmoraimAmoraim expounded upon
and clarified the oral law after its initial codification.Contents1 The Amoraic era
2 Prominent Amoraim2.1 First generation (approx. 230–250 CE)
2.2 Second generation (approx. 250–290 CE)
2.3 Third generation (approx
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Conservative Judaism
Conservative
JudaismJudaism (known as Masorti
JudaismJudaism outside North America)
is a major Jewish denomination, which views Jewish Law, or Halakha, as
both binding and subject to historical development. The Conservative
rabbinate therefore employs modern historical-critical research,
rather than only traditional methods and sources, and lends great
weight to its constituency when determining its stance on matters of
Law. The movement considers its approach as the authentic and most
appropriate continuation of halakhic discourse, maintaining both
fealty to received forms and flexibility in their interpretation
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TannaimTannaim (Hebrew: תנאים‬ [tanaˈʔim], singular Hebrew:
תנא‬ [taˈna], Tanna "repeaters", "teachers"[1]) were the
Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from
approximately 10-220 CE. The period of the Tannaim, also referred to
as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 210 years. It came after the
period of the
Zugot ("pairs"), and was immediately followed by the
period of the
AmoraimAmoraim ("interpreters").[2]
The root tanna (אתנא‬) is the Talmudic Aramaic equivalent for
the Hebrew root shanah (שנה‬), which also is the root-word of
Mishnah. The verb shanah (שנה‬) literally means "to repeat [what
one was taught]" and is used to mean "to learn".
The Mishnaic period is commonly divided up into five periods according
to generations. There are approximately 120 known Tannaim.
The
Tannaim lived in several areas of the Land of Israel
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Karaite Judaism
Karaite
JudaismJudaism or Karaism (also spelt Qaraite
JudaismJudaism or Qaraism),
(/ˈkærə.aɪt/ or /ˈkærə.ɪzəm/; Hebrew: יהדות
קראית‬‬, Modern Yahadut Qara'it from,
Tiberian Qārāʾîm, meaning "Readers")[a] is a Jewish religious
movement characterized by the recognition of the
TanakhTanakh alone as its
supreme authority in
Halakha (Jewish religious law) and theology. It
is distinct from mainstream Rabbinic Judaism, which considers the Oral
Torah, as codified in the
TalmudTalmud and subsequent works, to be
authoritative interpretations of the Torah. Karaites maintain that all
of the divine commandments handed down to
MosesMoses by
GodGod were recorded
in the written
TorahTorah without additional Oral Law or explanation
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Rabbinic Literature
Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, can mean the entire
spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history. However, the
term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as
opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing, and thus corresponds
with the Hebrew term Sifrut Hazal (Hebrew: ספרות חז"ל‎
"Literature [of our] sages," where Hazal normally refers only to the
sages of the Talmudic era). This more specific sense of "Rabbinic
literature"—referring to the Talmudim,
MidrashMidrash (Hebrew:
מדרש‎), and related writings, but hardly ever to later
texts—is how the term is generally intended when used in
contemporary academic writing. On the other hand, the terms meforshim
and parshanim (commentaries/commentators) almost always refer to
later, post-Talmudic writers of Rabbinic glosses on Biblical and
Talmudic texts.
This article discusses rabbinic literature in both senses
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Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist
JudaismJudaism (Hebrew: יהדות
רקונסטרוקציוניסטית‬, yahadút
rekonstruktsyonistit, or יהדות מתחדשת‬, yahadút
mitkhadéshet) is a modern Jewish movement that views
JudaismJudaism as a
progressively evolving civilization and is based on the conceptions
developed by
Mordecai Kaplan (1881–1983). The movement originated as
a semi-organized stream within
Conservative JudaismConservative Judaism and developed from
the late 1920s to 1940s, before it seceded in 1955[1] and established
a rabbinical college in 1967.[2]
There is substantial theological diversity within the movement.
Halakha, the collective body of Jewish Law, is not considered binding,
but is treated as a valuable cultural remnant that should be upheld
unless there is reason for the contrary
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Jewish Principles Of Faith
There is no established formulation of principles of faith that are
recognized by all branches of Judaism. Central authority in
JudaismJudaism is
not vested in any one person or group - although the Sanhedrin, the
supreme Jewish religious court, would fulfill this role when it is
re-established - but rather in Judaism's sacred writings, laws, and
traditions.
The various principles of faith that have been enumerated over the
centuries carry no weight other than that imparted to them by the fame
and scholarship of their respective authors.
JudaismJudaism affirms the existence and uniqueness of
GodGod and stresses
performance of deeds or commandments alongside adherence to a strict
belief system
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